


Dance With Me Tonight

by beepbeeptrashmouth



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Fluff, Getting Together, Light Angst, M/M, Yule Ball
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-18
Updated: 2015-02-18
Packaged: 2018-03-13 13:21:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,537
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3383051
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/beepbeeptrashmouth/pseuds/beepbeeptrashmouth
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Fred and Neville just want to go to the dance together.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Dance With Me Tonight

**Author's Note:**

> First time posting, so I hope this isn't completely horrible, and I'm sorry about the sucky summary!

**Neville’s POV**

I sat on my bed with the curtains closed around me, hiding from the people walking through the halls of Hogwarts.

I really should be outside enjoying the beautiful snow covering the grounds, but it was much nicer to be safe in my room and not outside where people either made fun of me or ignored my existence altogether. Instead I was inside moping because Fred and George wouldn’t leave me alone no matter what I did.

In first year I told them about a girl that caught my eye, which proved to be a huge mistake because now they couldn’t let it go, even though it’s been four years. I thought with all the commotion with the Triwizard Tournament they might forget about something I mentioned four years ago but they just keep reminding me about the Yule Ball coming up and how I better ask the girl to go with me before she’s taken.

The Yule Ball has been a really stressful event for me. I’m too shy to ask anybody, too clumsy to dance, and I’ll just be teased the whole time, so I think the rule about it being necessary to go should really not exist. Not to mention the person I like is someone who I would never ask even if I did have the courage. 

That person happens to be Fred Weasley. 

I figured it out in second year, I think, when he walked past and I found that I couldn’t stop staring at him, and I must have looked quite ridiculous to him, and the next thing I knew, my face was against the ground and Fred was howling in laughter. It was so humiliating that I swore to myself to avoid him at all costs, but that was harder than I thought it would be because he seemed to be hiding behind every corner trying to embarrass me.

After moping around some more, I decided to go outside to maybe help clear my mind a little. I sat down on a bench and closed my eyes, finally relaxing and enjoying the silence occasionally disturbed by the squeals of kids playing. That is, until a snowball hit me on the side of the head and I spun around to see _him_ laughing his head off.

“You should have seen your face!” he laughs, wiping a tear away from his cheek.

“W-what do you want Fred?” I reply quietly while getting the snow out of my hair and jacket.

“Oh take a joke Neville, I’m just trying to have a bit of fun with you!” he seemed frustrated, but the twinkle in his eye was so dazzling, I forgot to say anything for a while.

“I’m not in the mood right now; I’ve got a lot on my mind.”

“Thinking about that girl again?” maybe I was imagining it, but I thought I saw anger flicker across his face. It didn’t look right on his usually cheery features. Before I could get a good look he put on a smile, though it seemed a little forced.

“For the last time, I don’t like any girl!” I paused in apprehension. “Where’s George?” they were always together, so naturally I was worried about his waiting to ambush me somewhere.

“Off doing something else, of course, we don’t always have to be joined at the hip you know!” he said with a very heated glare that I had never seen on him before, not even directed at Snape. Having it aimed at me made my heart clench painfully, and I felt emotion fell up.

“S-sorry, I j-just...” tears were starting to well up in my eyes, and his expression turned regretful, but I didn’t want to stay, so I just got up hurried away to try and save myself more embarrassment and hurt.

He tried to call me back but I didn’t want to make it any worse for myself.  I don’t like seeing him upset, he is always happy and now I’ve managed to make him mad at me. I just can’t seem to do anything right.

~~~~~~

**Fred’s POV**

Oh God, what is wrong with me?

I’ve been super frustrated lately because I’ve been trying to get up the courage to ask Neville out, but every time I see him I can’t act like a normal person. It’s a wonder he even still likes me.

But today was the worst I’ve been yet. I snapped at him for asking a completely valid question, and I made him cry, and I’ve never felt like a bigger asshole.

Nev is too sweet for me to be snapping at, no matter how frustrated I am. I wouldn’t be surprised if this is what gets him to finally forget about me, but it’s like he didn’t want to see me if George wasn’t there too. Maybe that is true; maybe he actually likes George and I was getting it wrong, or maybe Neville confused us…

Nah, that’s not true. He only blushes when he says my name, and that must mean something.

Either way, I’m running out of time to ask him to the dance.

~~~~~~

**Neville’s POV**

I stayed in bed for the next week unless I had to do something important.

I avoided the twins like the plague, but it wasn’t very hard, so I guess Fred really didn’t want to see me. For once in my life they left me alone. Every time I saw them Fred looked angry and frustrated and George was trying to cheer him up. He must have been pretty mad at me if even George couldn’t cheer him up.

The thought left a bitter taste in my mouth.

But why should he be mad at me? I didn’t actually do anything wrong. Unless he realized that I like him and now he’s disgusted with me…

Today was Christmas day, and that means tonight was the Yule Ball. I asked Ginny and thankfully she agreed to go with me because she really wanted to go and I had to ask somebody. I felt kind of guilty because I actually like her brother, but I did _not_ want to go alone.

Even so, I was absolutely dreading this.

~~~~~~

The dance was going by too slowly and I wasn’t having any fun. I’m sure it would be great if I wasn’t so miserable but seeing Fred dance with Angelina made me feel sick. I futilely rubbed over my heart to try to get the pain to stop.

Ginny tried dancing with me but I stepped on her feet more than once, so she just gave up and now we’re sitting at a table on the side. I feel bad that she’s not having a good time but I’m too upset.

While I was looking around at all the people dancing, my eye caught Fred’s and he smiled brightly at me just for a split second before him and Angelina had their lips pressed together. Without saying anything to Ginny I got up and ran from the room, and I didn’t stop until I got to my dorm.

~~~~~~

**Fred’s POV**

I was miserable.

I hadn’t been able to find Neville before the ball, let alone ask him out!

It’s like he just disappeared from Hogwarts, and I’ve never regretted giving Harry the map more than I did then. I really needed to know where to find him.

I had a feeling he was hiding from me. Okay it was more than a feeling, but that didn’t stop me from trying to convince myself.

At the end of the week though, George was fed up with my moping and made me say yes when Angelina asked to go with me. She needed someone to go with and the person I wanted was mad at me, so it was a pretty good solution. I like hanging out with her anyway.

So now she and I are dancing away, but my heart wasn’t in it. I kept looking around the room for Neville but I couldn’t find him even though I knew he had to be here somewhere. Just before the dance I’d heard from Ron that Ginny went with Neville, and I didn’t know whether to be angry, sad, or worried.

I didn't think he would be on the dance floor, so I was scanning the tables when I found him.

He looked completely miserable. Slumped over the table with his chin resting on his arms, his cute, chubby cheeks stuck in a pout. It would be adorable if his eyes weren’t so sad.

I felt Angelina start to get restless when she noticed that my attention wasn’t on her, but I couldn’t look away from Neville, thank goodness to, because just then he looked at me and I couldn’t stop the huge grin from taking over my face at finally seeing him again. His eyes lit up just a little, but he didn’t look any less sad, but just as I was going to go over to him, Angelina had enough of my distraction and turned her face so that our lips were touching.

My entire body froze; the only thing I saw was Neville’s devastated face as he ran out of the hall.

My chest tightened painfully and I stumbled away from Angelina.

She looked upset but I honestly didn’t really care right now, not when Neville is probably beating himself up somewhere and I wasn’t with him.

“What the hell was that?” I hissed at her.

“Well- I though…” she seemed unsure now.

“I’m gay Angelina, I thought you knew that. I only asked you as a friend.”

Her shocked and apologetic face was what I last saw as I sped quickly from the room. I’d have to apologize for being so rude later, after I had my Neville at last.

~~~~~~

**Neville’s POV**

Why did he do that? Did he figure out that I like him? He must have. Was that his way of telling me he doesn’t like me? Oh my God this is so embarrassing! I’ll never be able to look at him again! I felt like throwing up and punching something at the same time, but my knees gave out as soon as I got to my bed.

Why do I have to feel this way?

Tears slowly started to roll down my cheeks, so I just laid on my bed, too emotional to move, until I heard someone come in and I sat up to wipe the tears off my face quickly. When I looked at the door, Fred was standing there staring at me with a guilty and worried expression.

When he saw the tear tracks on my cheeks, his face crumpled and he stepped forward, opening his mouth to talk, but I beat him to it.

“Leave.” I stated with a trembling voice.

He winced. “Neville please, just listen to me.” he started.

“Get out Fred!”

He stood there for a minute, shocked at my outburst.

I was shocked too, to be honest. I never raised my voice. Especially not at Fred. Maybe this will get him to stay away from me.

“No.”

I started. No? “No?”

“No, I won’t leave. At least not until you let me explain,” he said, though he sounded like he was two seconds away from begging.

I hesitated. “Fred I really just want to go to sleep.”

“And you can, after you let me talk for just a minute.” Man was he ever persistent. Well, if it got him to leave me alone. When I didn’t reply he went on. “Great! I know you stopped liking that girl a long time ago Neville, and I’m sorry for teasing you about it. At first I just thought it was cute that you had a little crush on her, and then, when I realized that you didn’t like her anymore, but _me_ , I kept teasing you in the hopes that you would go back to liking her. This, now that I think about it, was not the best move. Then I realized that I didn’t _want_ you to stop liking me. After that I only mentioned the girl because I wanted you to admit that you liked me. Don’t look at me like that; what else was I supposed to do?”

I sighed; I really didn’t know what to do. Had Fred just said that he knew I liked him, and kind of admitted that he liked the attention? What did that mean? Is he saying he likes me back?

No, he couldn’t be saying that because if he knew and even liked me back, then why did he ask Angelina to the dance, and kiss her?

Fred continued, “That day when I came outside to talk to you without George, I was trying to ask you out.” Is he blushing? _Fred Weasley_ is blushing? My eyes widened. Did he just say he was going to ask me out? Damn it, now _I‘m_ blushing. “As I’m sure you remember that day didn’t really go as I’d planned. I tried to find you afterward, but you really didn’t want to be found did you? I thought maybe I finally messed up really bad and you actually didn’t like me anymore, so when Angelina asked me, I said yes.”

I took a minute to process that.

“So when you kissed Angelina, that was your way of telling me that I missed my chance?” I said bitterly.

“God no!” he all but shouted. “She kissed me, I swear, I don’t like her at all. I don’t even like girls actually; I was just trying to be a good friend by going with her. I’d been looking for you all night and when I finally see you she kisses me. I was horrified, honestly. I saw your face, and I saw you run out and I didn’t think you’d ever let me talk to you again. I’ve liked you for quite a while now Neville. I’m terrified to lose you! I’d understand if you didn’t want to be with me anymore–“

“Fred–“

“–but please don’t stop being my friend!” he begged.

“Fred?”

He gulped. “Yes?”

“Come here.”

It was silent. He stared at me for a moment with wide eyes.

“What?”

I huffed out a quiet laugh and opened my arms towards him. “Come here you silly wizard.”

He scrambled into my arms and his held onto me tightly as his momentum sent us falling back onto my bed. When he pulled back we were both smiling as wide as can be. After days of being tense I finally relaxed at seeing him smile again.

Fred slowly leaned down until our lips were just barely touching, not really a kiss but such a sweet moment that warmth spread through my whole body.

He lies down next to me and pulled my blanket up over us and we just stayed there, with me still in his arms, feeling as if nothing could be more perfect in that moment.

So of course it was interrupted by a shout of, “BLOODY HELL FRED! GET OUT OF MY FRIENDS BED!”

_Well_ , I thought as Ron started chasing Fred around with a pillow, _they had time to work on that_.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you liked it!
> 
> Even if you didn't, comment and tell me what was wrong or tell me if I made any mistakes, I'd be really grateful! :)


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